Gas producer



Nov. 22, 1927. 4 4 1,650,187

W. CLJMIE GAS PRODUCER Filed June 15, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hal.

Nbv. 22, 1927.

W. CLIMIE GAS PRODUCER Filed June 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 7 m 3 f 8 llll W |:|||||||||||;\|||||||.%.wIIIIIiIl ajJwdajJaaavialJawnf Q 2 W, a

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CLIMIE, F MOSSEND, LANARKSHIRE, SCOTLAND.

GAS PRODUCER.

Application filed June 15, 1922 Serial No. 568,523, and in Great Britain June 15, 1921.

My invention relates to gas producers, having particular relation to fuel rakes.

An important object of my invention is to provide a rake which is particularly applicable to gas generators operating at high temperatures. Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and easily constructed water cooled rake having curved surfaces, whereby the same may slide over the fresh fuel. A further ob]ect of my invention is to provide apparatus of the class described which is provided with relatively short teeth and relatively long cutting knives, together with means automatically-operable to maintfaliri the rake on the upper surface of the e In carrying my invention into effect, I rovide a vertical and rotatable trunk which 2 is positioned centrally at the upper part of a gas producer, the rotatable trunk being provided with a horizontal division wall.

Two rods or tubes, which are adapted to slide vertically through said wall into the producer, are fitted at their lower ends to a horizontal structure forming the rake. The horizontal structure may comprise a horizontal member having flat portions and upwardly curved portions so arranged that as the cylinder or trunk, and, therefore, the

vertical rods, rotate about the vertical center line of the producer the under surfaces of the fiat portions ride upon the surface of the fuel. Hence, it can be seen as fresh fuel is inserted into the producer from the top, the curved portions cause the rake structure to mount over the same so that its posi tion on the top of the fuel is maintained.

The under surfaces of the fiat portions are provided with raking teeth and cutting or tearing knives for the purpose of raking or scattering the fuel and cutting through the same to prevent caking. The teeth and knives are arranged in such manner that the whole surface of the fuel is acted upon, and are preferably disposed at tangents to circles, the radii of which are the distances of the teeth and knives from the vertical center line of the producer.

With these and other objects and applications in mind, my invention further consists in the combination, and arrangment and constructional details hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accom- -panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of'the upper end of a gas producer provided with a fuel rake constructed in accordance with my invention; and 7 Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged top plan, side elevational and end views, respectively, of the fuel rake structure of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, onl such details of the general structure are ilustrated as are necessary to a clear understandin of my present invention. The gas pro ucer or generator therein shown may comprise two cylindricalcasings 1 and 2 positioned vertically and concentrically, one within the other, so that a water space 3 is formed therebetween. The space 3 is closed at its lower end (not shown), while the corre sponding end of the inner cylindrical casing 1 is open. An air blast cone (not illustrated) is positioned centrally at the lower end of said inner casing.

The inner one of the two concentric casings is preferably shorter than the enter one so that the water space 3 between the two casings opens into a steam space 4 formed between the tops of the two casings 1 and 2. The upper ends of the two casings are closed by plates5 and 6, respectively.

The cover late 5 of the inner casin 1 is provided with a vertical cylinder 7 which passes throu h the cover plate 6 of the outer casing 2 an it is provided near its upper end with a hopper entrance 8 and a, gas outlet 9. A trunk 11 islocated centrally within the vertical cylinder 7 and it is closed midway the ends thereof by a horizontal plate or division wall 12.

The upper end of the cylinder 7 is closed by a rotatable plate13 mounted upon ball or roller bearings 14 and it is further provided with a water seal 15. The inner trunk 11 is secured to the plate 13, so that it is rotated as the plate 13 is moved, for example by a worm and wheel 16.

A pair of vertical rods or tubes 17 pass downwardly through the inner trunk 11 and the horizontal division wall 12 of same into the upper end of the gas producer. The lower ends of the rods or elements 17, which are positioned within the producer, are fit ted to a cross rod or tube 18 which carries and forms parts of the fuel rake. Sleeves forming water-seals 19 are fitted to the up- .per sideof the well 12 of the inner trunk The weight 33 may com 11 and surround the vertical tubular elevery high temperatures, the rake structure ments 17. Suitably positioned guide rollers may be cooled by circulating a coollng fluid or the like 20 constituting antifriction means medium through the vertical and horizontal for the rods or tubes 17 may be mounted on tubes 17 and 18 and the interconnected boxthe inner trunk 11 just beneath the horizontal like structure 23 and 24, the direction of flow closure plate 12. being, say down one of the tubes 17, out The fuel rake proper is formed of two along one half of the cross tube 18 to the parts 21 and 22, each part being similarly outer end of the box 23, through the connect constructed, but secured to opposite ends of ed boxes 23 and 24 and returning along the the cross tube or rod 18 and extending only other half of the tube 18 to the other tube half way the length of the same. The parts 17. The upper ends of the tubes 17 may be 21 and 22 of the rake are located respectively connected to the space 3, but this has not behind each half of said tube 18 and'combeen shown. prise curved box-like structures 23 and 24, A coil of piping 37 may be rigidly pohaving operative connections 25 and 26 with sitioned in the upper end of the gas pro the tube 18, respectively. Each box-like ducer so as to encircle the rotary trunk 11. structure comprises an upwardly curved por- One end of the piping 37 is connected to a tion 32 and a horizontal portion 39, as shown supply pipe (not shown) while the other in the drawings. Adjacent ends of the boxes end is operativel associated with the space 23 and 24 are operatively associated by 3, whereby a coo ing medium may be circumeans of a pipe 27, whereby a cooling fluid lated through the piping 37 and the space 3. may flow from one box 23 to the other. The One or more vertical brushes 38, say of outer edges of the boxes 23 and 24, which are circular or spiral form, may be positioned parallel to the cross rod 18, maybe stiffened .between the upright cylinder 7 and the iny means of plates 28 having downwardly ner trunk 11 and preferably secured to the projecting teeth 29 and comparatively long outside surface of the latter, whereby the incutting or tearingknives 31. side surface of the cylinder 7 may be kept In operation, as the inner trunk 11 is roclean and free from carbon.

tated, it carries with it the two vertical rods While I have shown only one embodiment or tubes 17 which'in turn rotate the cross of my invention, for the purpose of derod or tube 18 about the vertical center line scribing the same and illustrating its prinof the gas producer, that is, the cross rod 18 ciples'of construction and of operation, it is travels over the surface of the fuel within apparent that various changes and modithe gas producer. The rakes proper are arfications may be made therein without deran ed behind the cross rod 18 as it travels parting from the spirit of m invention and so t at they are dragged over the surface of I desire, therefore, that on y such limitathe fuel. The teeth 29 of the rake scatter tions shall be imposed thereon as are indiand evenly distribute or rake the fuel while cated in the appended claims or as are dethe long knives 31 cut into the fuel so as to manded by the prior art.

keep the same. broken up. Curved ortions I claim:

32 of the boxes 23 and 24 forming t e rake 1. In a prevent the same from being buried as fresh casing;

gas producer, in combination, a a rotatable trunk positioned therefuel is inserted into the generator through in; a division wall provided in said trunk;

the inlet opening 8. These curved ortions a plurality of rods adapted to slide through 32 cause the rake to mount over the ueland sald division wall; and a rake structure seto maintain its position on .the top; of the cured to said rods and comprising a member same. v r. .having curved and flat ortions, certain of The teeth 29 and knives 31 --of; the rake. said portions being provided with fuel rakstructure are so positioned that. the full suring teeth and fuel cutting knives.

face of the fuel (not shown) ma be operp. 2. Ina gas producer, in combination, a

teeth and the cutting edges of the knives are rotatable trunk posit oned at the upper part disposed at tangents to circles, the radii of' of said'ca'sing; a horizontal division wall which arethe distance of said. teeth and provided in said trunk; a plurality ofrods knives from the vertical center line of the Producer. Y

The weight of the rake and its vertical rods or tubes 17 may be balanced by a weight '33 whichis mounted within the inner-trunk 11 and which is fitted to ropes or the like 34 passing over guide pulleysor the like 35. prise a water tank, whereby the pressure with which the rake rests upon the fuel may be varied.

When the gas producer is operating at adapted to slide'vertically through said divisionwall; a horizontal member; secured to 115 ated upon and preferablyv the points ofthe gcasingya vertical 0 linder surrounding a I 3. In a gas producer, in combination, a casing; a rotatable trunk arranged therein; a division wall provided in sald trunk; a plurality of rods adapted to slide through said division wall; a member secured to one end of said rods; members secured to said first-mentioned member and extending outwardly therefrom on each side of the same; and raking teeth and cutting knives secured to said outwardly extending members and having their points and cutting edges disposed at tangents to circles, the radii of which are the distances of said teeth and knives from the vertical center line of the producer.

4:. In a gas producer, in combination, a rotatable trunk; a division Wall provided in said trunk; a plurality of rods adapted to move through said division wall; a tubular element secured to said plurality of rods; and box-like structures-constituting a rake agitator for the fuel secured to said tubular element and located one behind each half of, and on opposite sides of the same turbulent element, said box-like structures having curved surfaces.

5. In a gas producer, in combination, a casing; a vertical cylinder surrounding a rotatable trunk positioned at the upper part of .said casing; a division wall provided in said trunk; rods adapted to move through said division Wall; a rake structure carried at one end of said rods, said rake structure comprising portions provided with fuel raking teeth and fuel cutting knives; and brushes effective upon a movement of said trunk to cause the sweeping of the inner surface of said cylinder, k

6. In a gas producer, in combination, a casing; a rotatable trunk positioned in the upper end of said casing; a horizontal division wall in said trunk, said Wall being provided with a plurality of openings; 8. rod extending through each of said openings; a plurality of teeth operative on the fuel in ,the producer; and means mounted on'the 7 ends of said rods for supporting said teeth.

7 In a gas producer, the combination with a casing; of a rotatable trunk positioned in the upper end of said producer; a horizontal division wall in said trunk, said wall being provided with a plurality of openings; a rod extending through each of said openings; means forming seals for said rods; a rake structure for the fuel mounted on said rods; and a plurality of fuel raking teeth and fuel cutting knives secured to said rake structure.

8. In a gas producer, in combination, a rotatable trunk; a division wall in said trunk, said division wall being apertured; an element extending throu h said apertured wall; a rake structure for the fuel in the producer secured to said element; means secured to said element operable to cause said element to mount over fresh fuel as same is charged into the producer; and antifriction means for said movable element.

9. In a gas producer, in combination, a casing; a trunk positioned in the upper end of said producer; a division wall in said trunk, said division wall being apertured for the reception of vertically extending elements; a rake structure for the fuel secured to one end of said elements; means secured to the other end of said'elements operable to cause said elements to mount over fresh fuel as same is charged into the producer; .and antifriction means for said movable elements secured on said cylinder on one side of said division wall.

10. In a gas producer, the combination with a casing; of'a rotatable trunk positioned in the upper end of said casing; a horizontal division wall in said trunk; a plurality of verticall movable tubular elements extending throng said trunk; a rake for the fuel comprising a hollow box-like structure carried by said tubular elements, said elements and said rake having a circulating cooling system; and a plurality of teeth secured to said rake structure.

11. In a gas producer, the combination with a rotatable trunk; a horizontal division wall in said trunk; a plurality of movable tubular elements positioned in said trunk; a rake structure for the fuel in the producer comprising a hollow box-like structure carried by said tubular elements, said elements and said rake structure having a circulating cooling system; antifriction means for guiding said movable tubular elements; and means positioned in said rotatable trunk for automatically maintaining said rake structure on the upper surface of the fuel.

YVILLIAM CLIMIE. 

